Players to Watch in Games of Week 0

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's FINALLY here! The official start of Arkansas high school football begins with a week loaded with high-quality non-conference action. We are highlighting players from each game of the week for every classification. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":1} --> <h1 class="wp-block-heading">Prep Redzone's Game of the Week: Warren v. Greenbrier</h1> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='936758' first='Kam' last='Davis'] | ATH | Warren | C/O 2025</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='936758' first='Kam' last='Davis'] (6'0", 160 pounds) is a dynamic player with exceptional speed, allowing him to cut the edge, split gaps, and easily outrun defensive backs in the open field. His return skills are outstanding, showcasing his ability to fight through contact and his keen sense for finding the right gaps in coverage. As a receiver, Davis consistently makes impressive catches over defenders with remarkable athleticism, often maintaining his balance after the grab.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On defense, Davis demonstrates sharp instincts in the passing game and a relentless attitude when defending the run. His athleticism creates difficult match-ups for opponents, and his shadow speed enables him to lock down deep routes without requiring safety support. Overall, he is an incredibly impactful play-maker on both sides of the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1351445' first='Jack' last='Palmer'] | Quarterback | Greenbrier | C/O 2026</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1351445' first='Jack' last='Palmer'] (6-3, 180) showcases strong arm strength and accuracy across all parts of the field. His velocity and precision in tight areas highlight his impressive anticipation of coverages and timing with his receivers. Palmer has an innate pocket presence with proper footwork and his overall feel for rushers. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">7A Game of the Week: Benton v. Bryant</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='830813' first='Luther' last='Tucker III'] | Running Back | Benton | C/O 2025</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='830813' first='Luther' last='Tucker III'] is a highly athletic player with impressive speed. He attacks the hole with strong acceleration and bursts through the first and second levels with ease. Tucker demonstrates excellent contact balance and body control, allowing him to break tackles and consistently gain positive yards in both the running and passing game. A fluid athlete with great lateral agility and change of direction, he excels as a one-cut back, quickly identifying openings and exploiting them. His versatility as a threat in the passing game further enhances his overall skill set.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='301196' first='Karter' last='Ratliff'] | Wide Receiver | Bryant | C/O 2025</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='301196' first='Karter' last='Ratliff'] is a versatile player who excels at both tight end and wide receiver. He has a knack for getting open, making himself a reliable target, and coming down with impressive grabs in coverage. Ratliff consistently high-points the football, forcing defenses to adjust to his presence. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">6A Game of the Week: Fort Smith Northside v. Fort Smith Southside</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='230545' first='Camron' last='Massey'] | Wide Receiver | Fort Smith Northside | C/O 2025</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='230545' first='Camron' last='Massey'] is a dynamic wide receiver known for his speed and athleticism. He excels in short-area quickness, getting off the line of scrimmage quickly and beating press coverage with ease. Massey has impressive ball-tracking skills and consistently wins contested catches thanks to his strong hand-eye coordination and body control. His smooth route-running ability allows him to effectively attack zone coverage, using leverage to find soft spots. Additionally, his speed makes him a dangerous vertical threat in the passing game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='377648' first='Ethan' last='Dunn'] | Linebacker | Fort Smith Southside | C/O 2026</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5A Game of the Week: Joe T. Robinson v. Pulaski Academy</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Jakob Coleman | Defensive Back | Joe T. Robinson | C/O 2025</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jakob Coleman is a highly versatile player with special strengths with strong reaction skills and the ability to read the quarterback's eyes, allowing him to diagnose plays and arrive at the catch point quickly. He demonstrates quick breaks on the ball, with excellent change of direction, lateral agility, and hip fluidity, positioning himself well to force pass breakups or interceptions. Coleman also possesses solid speed in the secondary and is a reliable open-field tackler with impressive ball-tracking abilities. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='283397' first='William' last='Svoboda'] | Wide Receiver | Pulaski Academy | C/O 2026</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='283397' first='William' last='Svoboda'] is a savvy player with a high football IQ, particularly in route running and understanding offensive schemes. He excels at finding gaps in zone coverage, using precise route execution to create separation. Once in the open field, Svoboda surprises defenders with his sneaky speed. Known for his reliability, he consistently makes tough catches in contact situations, showing a willingness to absorb hits to secure critical grabs. His elite balance and above-average agility make him highly effective in contested catches, establishing him as a dependable possession receiver who consistently moves the chains.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3A Game of the Week: Walnut Ridge v. East Poinsett County</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1305484' first='Jace' last='Blake'] | Defensive Back | Walnut Ridge | C/O 2027</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jack Blake exhibits strong read-and-react skills, quickly diagnosing plays by reading the quarterback's eyes. His change of direction and lateral agility allow him to break on the ball and arrive at the catch point with speed, putting him in a good position to force pass breakups or interceptions. His solid hip fluidity and speed in the secondary, combined with reliable open-field tackling and ball-tracking, make him a dependable defender.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1192051' first='Jacob' last='Gaines'] | Running Back | EPC | C/O 2026</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2A Game of the Week: Newport v. Marked Tree</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1396707' first='Kiandrea' last='Barker'] | Running Back | Newport | C/O 2025</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1396707' first='Kiandrea' last='Barker'] is an explosive running back with outstanding vision, quickly identifying and capitalizing on rushing lanes. His patience allows him to wait for lanes to develop before making his move. Barker's versatility is evident in his ability to run effectively between the tackles or bounce runs outside to the sideline. His talents have him ranked as one of the best running backs across the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='1155131' first='TJ' last='Hodges'] | Running Back | Marked Tree | C/O 2026</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1155131' first='TJ' last='Hodges'] is an all-encompassing running back who excels with all speed, elusiveness, and power. He demonstrates excellent vision, quickly reading defensive fronts and attacking holes with little hesitation. Hodges shows patience behind the line, effectively following blockers, and possesses strong cutting ability with elite acceleration to separate from defenders at the first and second levels. With exceptional balance and active feet, Hodges can work through contact, using his strong lower body and to gain additional yards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->